NIH Expands National Consortium for Transforming Clinical and Translational Research, Releases First Progress ReportSeven Institutions to Receive $171 Million Over 5 Years to Help Researchers Turn Laboratory Discoveries into Treatments for Patients

Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSAs) will be made to seven more academic health centers, bringing the consortium to 46 member institutions, the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), part of the National Institutes of Health, announced today. This national network of medical research institutions is working to accelerate the process that develops laboratory discoveries into treatments for patients, to engage communities in clinical research and to train a new generation of clinical and translational researchers.

The NCRR also released the first progress report outlining the impact of the CTSA program in its first two years.

Launched in 2006, this network now includes awardees in 26 states. When the program is fully implemented, it will support approximately 60 CTSAs across the nation.

"As the world's largest public funding agency for clinical research, it is imperative that the NIH promote scientific innovation and collaboration," said NIH Acting Director Raynard Kington, M.D., Ph.D. "The CTSA consortium exemplifies this approach by bringing together resources and expertise to translate new research discoveries into tangible benefits for the American people."

The first CTSA progress report released today highlights the innovations, collaborations and partnerships that emerged from the CTSA consortium from 2006 through 2008. Included are summaries of how CTSAs are enabling researchers to work in unprecedented ways to advance medical research across many disease areas and conditions, including cancer, neurological diseases, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. To view the full report, visit www.ncrr.nih.gov/ctsa/progress_report_2009.

These seven institutions join the University of Cincinnati, announced earlier this year, as the 2009 CTSA recipients. The 2009 CTSA grants expand state representation in the consortium to Arkansas, Florida and South Carolina.

"Now in its third year, the momentum behind the CTSA consortium continues to build as membership expands across the nation," said NCRR Director Barbara Alving, M.D. "The CTSA institutions provide opportunities for clinical and basic researchers to train and work as interdisciplinary teams which are now essential for developing and delivering new treatments and prevention strategies."

Since its launch in 2006, the consortium is:

training researchers to master the complexities of clinical and translational research through nationally recognized degree-granting programs;

leveraging CTSA resources to expand research and training opportunities in underserved states and communities;

assembling interdisciplinary teams that include but are not limited to basic scientists, biologists, clinical researchers, dentists, veterinarians, nurses, pharmacists, biomedical engineers and geneticists;

partnering with researchers at minority institutions to enhance outreach to underserved populations, local community and advocacy organizations, and health care providers;

identifying best practices to improve clinical research informatics tools to analyze research data and manage clinical trials;

designating technologies for marketing and licensing purposes that will increase global access to research tools; and

forging new partnerships with private and public health care organizations, including pharmaceutical companies, Departments of Veterans Affairs hospitals, and health maintenance organizations, as well as state health agencies.

A fifth funding opportunity announcement for CTSAs is available, calling for the next round of applications to be submitted by Oct. 14, 2009, with the awards expected in July 2010. For more information about this funding announcement, see www.ncrr.nih.gov/crfunding.

For more information about the CTSA program, visit www.ncrr.nih.gov/ctsa. The CTSA consortium Web site, which provides information on the consortium, current members and new grantees, can be accessed at CTSAweb.org.

The National Center for Research Resources, part of NIH, provides laboratory scientists and clinical researchers with the resources and training they need to understand, detect, treat and prevent a wide range of diseases. NCRR supports all aspects of translational and clinical research, connecting researchers, patients and communities across the nation. For more information, visit www.ncrr.nih.gov.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation's
Medical Research Agency — includes 27 Institutes and
Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting
and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research,
and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both
common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and
its programs, visit www.nih.gov.